System of regulation for oil-burning plants.



No. 666.466. PATNNTED MAY 5, '1666.-

-' J. R. ATGHTSON 6 o. NWEYMOUTH.

SYSTEM 0T REGULATION TOR 01T, BURNING PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1. 1905.

6 SHEETS- SHEET 1.

'incas No. 886,466. PATENTED MAY 5; 1908.4

J. R. ATGHISON & c. R. WBYMOUTH. l

SYSTEM OP REGULATION FOR OIL' BURNING PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1. 1905.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

v PATENTED MAY 5, 1908. J. R. ATCHISON & C. R. WEYMOUTH.v SYSTEM 0F REGULATION POR OIL BURNING PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. l, 1905. 8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

||||Il||||ll| llllll I I l Il l l l l I [.I l I I l l l l Il PATRNTRDMAY 5.1908. J. R. ATGHISON S 0. R. WRYMOUTR. SYSTEM 0F RRGULATION'POR OIL BURNING PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.1, 1905.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No. 886,466. TATENTBD MAY 5, 1908.

` J. R. ATGHISON c C. R. WEYMOUTH. SYSTEM OF REGULATION POR OIL BURNING PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED N 1 0 0V 1 9 5 6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

No. 886,466. A PATENTED MAY 5, 1.908. J. R. ATCHISON & C. R. WEYMOUTH. SYSTEM 0F REGULATION FOR OIL BURNING PLANTS.

L T 1 ED APP 10A 10N IL Nov 1 1905 6SHEETS SHEET e.

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UMTS/@74. www? ustion.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

JAMES R. ATCHISON AND CLARENCE R. WEYMOUTH, OF-SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1908.

Application filed November 1, 1905. Serial No. 285,504.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMEs R. AToHIsON and CLARENCE R` VVEYMOUTH, citizens of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San F ranciscoand State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of Regulation for Oil-'Burning Plants, of 'which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a novel automatic system of regulation for oil burning plants, and particularly to a method or process for such regulation. Illustrative apparatus of. a practical character, adaptedto carry out the said method or process is shown inthe ac-- companying drawings, and is herein described in orderthat the nature of the process shall be thoroughly understood.. Such apparatus contains many novel features indesign and construction, which will be made the subject of separate applications.

.The essential idea or principle of our invention consists' -in utilizing the variation of oil pressure in `a main connecting with all burners so as to'automatically regulate the supply of steam to the burners, 'steam being there employedfor atomizing theA oil. 'Ihat is to say the variation in oil pressure, according to the demand for steam, is ,utilized to control thefsteam pressure in a steam main/ connecting withall the oil burners. Further the variations in pressure in the lcommon oil main are employed to regulate the amount of opening in the furnace stack damper, so as to ive a greater or less s up ly of air for com- The variation 1n the pressure in the oil main is caused by the operation of an automatic pump governor by which the supply of 'steam to the oil supply pumps-is reguated, the object being to maintain a `uniform boiler pressure. l

We are not aware that it has ever been proposed to take advantage of the necessary Yvariations in oil pressure for controlling the' supply ofsteam for atomizing purposes, or for damper regulation.

The principles lof our system as applied to a steam boiler plant burning oil fuel which is atomized by steam is susceptible of other applications without material change, and 'We mention some of these in order that the range and scope of the invention maybe thor--` oughly understood. For example in boiler plants using air as the atomizing agent, the variations in oil pressure can be used for air pressure regulation in substantially the same mannerv as for steam pressure regulation as ,we describe it. Again in such plants as forging furnaces, ore roasting furnaces, reverberatory furnaces employing fuel oil and atomizing by steam vor air, the variations in 011 pressure can be used to control automatically the supply of' steam or of air for atomizin or for controlling a damper opening or for oth.l Such modificationsl in apparatus and as shown in the accompanying-drawingsj in which:

Figure l is a front elevation of a battery of steam boilers in connection with an installation of apparatus for carrying out our process; Fig. 2 is a top plan of the same; Fig. 3 is an end elevation ofthe same; Fig. 4 is an elevation partly in section of the oil pump governor; Fig. 5 is atop plan of the same; Fig. 6 is an elevation of the damper regulator; F ig. 7 isa plan view of the same; Flg. 8 is a sectional elevation of the steam-pressure governor; Fig. 9 is a lan view of the same.

In Figs. 1, 2 and) 3 a plant employing our system is shown withall its parts 1n assembly and connection.

The steam boilers A, are supplied withoil burners O of any approved type and construction'. Oil fuel 1s` furnis ed to .these burners through the oil main G which is cemmon to all of themv and delivers the oil to them through branch pipes as shown. Steam for atomizing urposes is applied to all the4 burners throu plpes 4 from the steam main E. We have not considered it necessary to show in detail the construction of the oil burners or the arrangements for atomizing as they are well known, form no part of our 1nventlon, and may be ofd any desired construction. The pressure lof steam in the main E is controlled and re ulated by variations in the oil pressure as W1 l be hereinafter described.

Itis connected directly to the auxiliary main D containing steam at full holler-pressure, by

the branch 5 having the by-pass'valve 6,

which pipe however is not intended to be used exce ting in case theautomatic regulator shou d fail to act or be out of order;j when steam for the burnerscould be taken directly through the valve.

' The oil pressure pumps B B can be of any desired constructionland recelve oil from a source of supply through pipes B B and steam from the boiler through the steam pipe F the pipe F having a suitable rotary valve V' for governing the supply to the pipe F and the pipe F leadin to the pumps. zThis valve 1s automatica ly regulated by the oil pumps governor shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This overnor comprises a chamber 7 having a i'lexlble dia hragm (not shown but in common use) which receivesfsteam at boiler pressure on its under side through. a pipe 8 communicating with any point where it is desired to control the pressure, as Jfor instance Y the main steam header or the auxiliary steam main D, The dia hragm carries on its upper side a pin 9,\whic extends above the chamberand bears upon the point 1 1 of the weighted lever 12. The force exerted by steam pressure against the dia hragm is opposed by the weights 13, 14: whic yare adjusted to the desired initial or normal balance. When the steam pressure increases the lever 12 vis lifted and also the auxiliary -lever 15 which has aI connecting rod to the piston 16 of the water cylinder 17, and is pivoted in the fulcrum 21. The piston is thus raised and, by its connec- .tion through the lever 18 and rod 19 communicates motion to the main steam valve V so as to decrease the steam supply to the pum s'. A diminution of boiler pressure will cause t e valve to be moved in the opposite direction and Will thereby increase the steam supply to the ,umps T e pumps supply oil to the oil main' G under varying pressures according to the demand vfor steam and we now explain how these varying pressures alone regulate the supply of steam for atomizing purposes. `The steam pressure regulator is illustrated in Figs.

8 and 9 and a general view of its connections in Fig. 3. Its purpose is to cause the variation m oil pressure to control a valve in a pipe connecting the steam main D containing 'steam at boiler pressure, with the steam main E which directly supplies the burners, and in which the steam pressure is variable., This ipe is shown at 23 and v is provided with any tlbrm of rotary -valve -W operated by a rod 24 whose connection to the valve is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Referring iirst to Fgl'g`s-lj8 and 9, the steam regulator comprises a casing or'cylinder 22, or more properly two cylinders containing a two art iston which I may or may not be integra T e lower end of the piston forms an oil piston 25 which` is subjected to the varying oil pressure in the oil main through the branch pipe N and the.

upper end forms a. steam piston 26 subjected to the varying press'ure in the atomizing r main E througlrthe pipe P. The areas of the two ends or pistons may be variedrelatively to each other in order to secure the proper ratio to be maintained between' the oil pressure and the pressure of the atomizing agent to secure the best results under` the varying oil pressures that must obtain, and

oil piston, and the end of the cylinder is preferably provided with a drip pipe as shown in dotted lines at 22 to prevent the accumulation of moisture due to leakage which might interfere with the full and free movement of the piston.` v

A weighted lever 27 rests upon the stem of y they piston and has its free end connected with the free end of a lever 28. The other end of the lever 28 is connected with the valve stem 29 of a iston in the water cylinder 30 similarto t e construction shown in Fig. 4', but 'the lever is shown as being pivotally supported by a movable fulcrum as an arm 31 on the upper end of the piston rod 32 which renders it less sensitive than a fixed fulcrum, although it could be fixed if desired. The rod 33 forming the lower end of the piston is connected with a lever 34 which in turn is connected with valve'W through the rod 24 whereby the movement of the oiland steam piston will control the 4passage of steam through the valve W.

In operation the weight 36 on the lever 27 is adjusted 'to hold. the oil and steam pressures in equilibrium at any desired point. In case. the load should be 4increased `and a greater demand made for steam there would immediately be an increase in the oil pres# sure which Would cause -an upward movement of the piston and of thelevers 27 and 28 and also of the lever 34 and rod 24iwhi`ch A would increase the opening in the rotative"v valve W and vthereby admit' more lsteam through the pi e P to the piston 26 until the pressure woul be equalized and equilibrium restored. At the same time that the steam pressure is increased upon the piston it would e corres-pondin ly increased at the burners .and the equilibrium of the piston would hold thnel pressure atthat point 'or degree so long asl there was a demand for such a quantity of oil at the burners. A decrease in the oil pressure will cause an opposite movement of the regulator.

As above described it is evident that the kee the desired steam pressure will be con trol ed automatically and that the amount of atomizin agent whether of steam or of air will be a so automatically controlled to correspond with the amount of oil. But it is necessary that the amount of air to support i amount of oil necessary for the combustion to' the combustion be also regulated. This can be done by means of dampers located at any desired oint, as inA the smoke stack, at the rear of t e boilers or at the ash it, dependi ing 4on the type of boiler and ot er controlling conditions. In the construction shown in the drawings the air supply Will be controlled entirely by the dampers at the rear of the boilers, the ash pit doors being opened to Vthe lever 43.

admit air freely. This regulator may or may not control the air supply exactly to ive an amount of air proportional to the el being consumed, that being determined by gas analysis only, and not by observation. In setting the Adampers the draft from the stack, capacity of plant, etc., must be taken into consideration and a sufiicient amount of air must be provided for the maximum overload as Well as the fractional load. An arrangement of toggles such as to increase or decrease the relative motion of the damper regulator at each point Will be determined by trial in each case so as to give as near as possible the pro er air supply for all loads.

In Fi 3 tiie regulator is shown in position relative y to the boilers and in Figs. 6 and 7 it is shown in detail. A chamber 37 is connected With the oil pressure main G by pipe 38 and provided with the usual diaphragm or piston the same as the oil pump governor. A lever 39 is actuated by this dia hragm through the stem 40 which actuates t e auxiliary lever 41 and the lever 41 controls lthe piston in the .Water chamber 42 and thereby In addition to the Weight 44 on the lever 39 a spring 45 is also preferably utilized for securin the desired pressure or tension upon the iaphragm to oppose the steam ressure. The darn ers 46 at the rear of the fioilers are connectecihvith a rock shaft 47 and the shaft is connected with the lever 43 by a rod 48. Or the Water chamber may be omitted where it is not desired to have the governor so sensitive andthe rod 48 can be connected direct with the lever 39. The governor will be so arranged' that the dam ers will be opened to cause a greater supply o air when the oil supply is increased and closed with the decrease of oil.

While it does ,not make any difference Whether' the steam pipe 8 is connected directly With the boilers or the main steam headers connecting with the engines or the auxiliary headers, in a large plant it may be necessary to make the auxiliary steam main andthe oil main leading to the burners of such size that there will not be serious drop of pressure between the point at which the governing is done and the extreme portion of the system: or a loop system can be provided to overcome the difhculty.

In a plant having a Widely varying load a portion of the boilers can be cut in or out as the load varies by closing or opening the branch steam and oil connections to the individual burners, 0r the same total of boilers load and the governing can be done upon thev remaining boilers thereby securing a very efficient result without the necessity of so many regulators.

Having described our invention What We claim as new andI desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a system of regulation for liquid fuel burning plants, a liquid fuel burner adapted to receive a continuous flow of liquid fuel and a `continuous flow of an atomizing agent, means for varying the supply pressure of said liquid fuel and thus the rate of flow of said fuel through the burner, and means controlled by the variation of said liquid fuel pressure -for automatically governing the supply pressure of said atomizing agent and thus the rate .of flow` of said atomizing agent through the burner and producing a continuous flow of said atomizing agent, the said governing being independent of a commingling action of said fuel and said atomizing Y agent.

2. In a system of regulation for liquid-fuel burning plants, steam-controlled means forfeeding fuelthereto under a variable pressure, a damper, a rod for operating thesame, and means controlled by the fuel pressure for varying the amount of. opening of theV damper andl including a s ring opposing the fuel pressure; said spring limiting the movement of the damper-rod so that such movement shall be proportional to said fuel pressure and to the deflection of said spring.

3. In a system of regulation for liquid fuel burning plants, means for feeding fuel thereto under a variable pressure, means for su plying an atomizing agent under variabIe pressure, and means controlled by the fuel pressure for automatically and synchronously varying the pressure of the atomizing agent and the quantity of air for combustion to correspond withthe amount of fuel being con sumed.

4. In a system of regulation for oil-burning plants, means for feeding oil thereto under variable pressure, means for su plying an atoinizing agent to the burner un( er variable pressure, and external means controlled by the oil pressure for holding the pressures of the atoinizing agent and of the oil in equilibrium at a certain relation.

5. In a system of regulation for oil burning plants, means for feeding oil thereto under a` variable pressure, means for sup lying an atoinizing agent to the burner unifier a variable pressure, and means for establishing an equilibrium at.a certain ratio between the CII pressure of the oil and that of the atoinizing establishing an equilibrium at a certain ratio l between the pressure of the oil and that of the atomizing agent; whereby when said equilibrium is affected it is restored by automatic Variation inthe pressure of the atomizing l agent.

7. In a system of regulation forloil burning plants, means for feeding oil thereto under a variable pressure, means for supplying an atomizing agent to the burner under a variable pressure, a movable member subjected to such pressures in opposite directions, and a member for applying a constant but adjustable pressure to said movable member for establishing an equilibrium at a certain ratio between the pressure of the oil and that of the atomizing agent; whereby when said equilibrium is affected it is restored by automatic variation in the pressure of the atomizing agent. l

8. In a system of regulation for oil burning plants, means for feeding oil thereto under a variable pressure, means for supplying an atoinizing agent to the burner under a variable pressure, a reciprocatory member having surfaces of different areas subjected to said pressures in opposite directions, and a member for applying a constant but adjustable pressure to said reciprocatory member for establishing an equilibrium at a certain ratio between the pressure of the oil and that of the atomizing agent; whereby when the said equilibrium is aected it is restored by automatic variation in the pressure of the atomizing agent.

9. In a system of regulation for oil burning plants, means for Afeeding oil thereto under variable pressure, means Jfor su plying an atomizing agent `to the burner under variable pressure, a reciproeatory piston having its ends of di'l'ierent areas and,I subjected to said ressures in opposite directions for establishmg an equilibrium at a certain ratio between the pressure of the oil and that of the atomizing agent,A they pressure of the oil being exerted upon the larger area and that of the :'ttoniizingl agent upon the smaller area, an adjustable weight, and means for applying the pressure ol said weight to the smaller' area in. addition to the pri' sure ot the atomizing agent; \,i'liei'ebf.V when said equilibrium is aileeted restored by autom-alie .'arinioii in the pressure off the aioiniiziiig agent.

l l l I 1 l l l l l l l l i l i l l i 1 whereby the steam pressure 10. ln a system of regulation for'oil burning steam generating plants, means for feeding oil thereto under a variable pressure, a conduit leading to the burner for supplying steam in a certain ratio to the oil for atomizing purposes, a throttle in the conduit for varying the steam pressure to the burner, means connected with the throttle and controlled by the oil and steam pressures Jfor varying the steam pressure to maintain the proper ratio at dif'erent oil pressures.

l1. ln a system of regulation for oil burning steam generating plants7 means for feeding oil thereto under a variable pressure, a steam pipe for supplying steam to the burner in a certain ratio to the oil for atoinizingpurposes, a throttle in the pipe for varying the steam pressure. therein to the burner, a movable member adapted to be controlled by the r i i oil and steam pressures, and a system of' lelproper ratio between the steam andoil at dit- 'l'erent oil pressures.-

l2. In a system ot regulation for oil burningl steam generating` plants, means con- -trolled by the steam pressure for varying thev oil pressure, means 'for supplying steam. to

the burner under a variable pressure 'for atomn izing purposes, means for controlling the admission o'l air lor combustion, said. last two mentioned means being automatically and synchronously operated by the oil pressure.

13. In a system-olE regulation for oil burning steam generating plants provided with a f plurality ol burners, an oil main common to all of the burners, an oil pump connected with the main, means for operating the pump directly with the generated steam means controlled by the steam pressure from the plant for automatically varying the admission oi steam to the pump wherebr the pressure in .the oil main is varied, means for su plying steam to the burners under a variab e pressure l'or atomizing purposes, means for controlling the admission ot air for combustion, said last two means being connected with the oil main and ada ted to be automatically and synchronousy controlled by the oil pressure. i

14. Yln a system of regulation for oil burning steam generating plants having a plurality ol" liurners, an oil main common to all of the burners, an oil pump connected to the oil main, an auxiliary steam pipe connected with the pump, a main steam pipe common to all the burners and receiving its supply from said auxiliary steam pipe, means controlled by the steam ixiressure in t! auxiliary steam pipe l'or automatieally varj'i e the admission of steam to the pump inyi as the steam pressure, and means l'or con iling the admission ol' steam io ihe u i am pipe the burners may be varied to correspond With the oil signatures, in presence of two Witnesses, this pressure; the means for controlling the adfourteenth day of October 1905.

mission of steam to the main steam pipe be- JAMES R. ATCHISON. ing connected vWith the oil main and adapted CLARENCE R. WEYMOU TH. 5 to be automatically and synchronously con- Witnesses:

trolled by the oil pressure. W. S. BOYD,

In testimony whereof We haye affixed our ROBERT L. FRIER. 

